Secure Mobile-Based Financial Transactions

• US 20130091062A1
• Filed: 11/30/2012
• Published: 04/11/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: White, Spencer Neil
• Granted Patent: US 8,732,022 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/71
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/00 Payment architectures, schemes or protocols apparatus for performing or posting payment transactions G07F7/08, G07F19/00; electronic cash registers G07G1/12
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/105 involving programming of a portable memory device, e.g. IC cards, "electronic purses"
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/18 involving self-service terminals [SST], vending machines, kiosks or multimedia terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/202 Interconnection or interaction of plural electronic cash registers [ECR] or to host computer, e.g. network details, transfer of information from host to ECR or from ECR to ECR
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/204 comprising interface for record bearing medium or carrier for electronic funds transfer or payment credit
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3223 Realising banking transactions through M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3227 using secure elements embedded in M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3255 using mobile network messaging services for payment, e.g. SMS
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/327 Short range or proximity payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3278 RFID or NFC payments by means of M-devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3829 involving key management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/385 using an alias or single-use codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40 Authorisation, e.g. identification of payer or payee, verification of customer or shop credentials; Review and approval of payers, e.g. check credit lines or negative lists
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/425 using two different networks, one for transaction and one for security confirmation

Abstract

Devices, systems and methods are disclosed which relate to securing payments from a mobile communications device. In exemplary embodiments, a mobile communications device communicates with a payment server via a point-of-sale device to conduct a transaction. The mobile communications device uses a client payment logic to send payment information to the point-of-sale device. The point-of-sale device uses a vendor payment logic to forward the payment information to the payment server. The payment server verifies the payment information and sends confirmation to the point-of-sale device.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a mobile communications device having an associated account and a client payment logic;

a point-of-sale device in communication with the mobile communications device, the point-of-sale device having a vendor payment logic; and

a payment server in communication with the mobile communications device through a cellular network and in communication with the point-of-sale device through a second network, the payment server having a server payment logic;

wherein the server payment logic sends a one-time digital key to the mobile communications device upon determination that the mobile communications device is connected to the payment server via the cellular network and the vendor payment logic sends the one-time digital key to the mobile communications device via wireless communication when the mobile communications device is not in communication with the payment server;

the client payment logic generates a payment number by combining the one-time digital key with a random number generated by the client logic and sends the payment number to the point-of-sale device;

the server payment logic receives the payment number and an amount from the point-of-sale device, disassembles the payment number into the one-time digital key and the random number, verifies the one-time digital key, generates an identical random number using an identical random number generator algorithm, compares the disassembled random number with the generated identical random number, and deducts the amount from the associated account when the comparison matches.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the client payment logic sends the payment number and the amount to the point-of-sale device upon generating the payment number after receiving the one-time digital key.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the mobile communications device is one of a cellular telephone, a notebook computer, and a personal digital assistant.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the point-of-sale device is one of a cash register and a kiosk.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the server payment logic sends a confirmation to the point-of sale device when the amount is deducted.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the point-of-sale device communicates with the payment server to receive the one-time digital key.

7. A method, comprising:

sending a one-time digital key to a mobile communications device, the sending accomplished via a cellular network from a payment server and via a wireless communication from a point-of-sale device when the connection between the mobile communications device and the payment server is not available;

generating a payment number on the mobile communications device by combining the one-time digital key with a random number generated by the mobile communications device;

receiving, at the payment server, the payment number and amount sent to the point-of-sale device from the mobile communication device;

disassembling the payment number into the one-time digital key and the random number;

verifying the one-time digital key and the random number, the verifying of the random number accomplished by the payment server generating an identical random number using an identical algorithm to an algorithm used to generate the random number on the mobile communications device and comparing the random number and the identical random number; and

deducting the amount from an account associated with the mobile communications device upon verification.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising sending a confirmation corresponding to the deduction from the account.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the point-of-sale device is one of a cash register and a kiosk.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the mobile communications device is one of a cellular telephone, notebook computer, and a personal digital assistant.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising sending the payment number and the amount to the point-of-sales device upon generating the payment number after receiving the one-time digital key.

12. The method of claim 7, further comprising comparing the amount to a payment cap.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the amount must be verified by the mobile communications device.

14. A method, comprising:

receiving a one-time digital key, at a mobile communications device, from a point-of-sale device upon determining that the mobile communications device is not connected to a payment server via a cellular network;

sending a payment number and an amount to the point-of-sale device from the mobile communications device, the payment number generated by combining the one-time digital key with a random number generated by the mobile communications device;

sending the payment number and the amount from the point-of-sale device to the payment server; and

deducting the amount from an account associated with the mobile device;

wherein the payment server verifies the random number and the one-time digital key by generating an identical random number using an identical algorithm to an algorithm used to generate the random number on the mobile communications device and comparing the identical random number and the random number.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising receiving a confirmation corresponding to the deduction from the account.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the point-of-sale device is one of a cash register and a kiosk.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the mobile communications device is one of a cellular telephone, notebook computer, and a personal digital assistant.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising comparing the amount to a payment cap.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the amount must be verified by the mobile communications device.